“No problem.I’ll work a little late, and we’ll plan on leaving at…six?”
She nodded.
“Anywhere specific you’d like to go for dinner?”
Kelsey shook her head.
“Pizza?”
She blinked.“Pizza?”
“There’s a place near my house, owned by twin sisters from Sicily.You might like it.Decent chianti, as well.”
He couldn’t have said anything that would have shocked her more.She would have thought he might suggest a steak or something else upscale.Pizza didn’t fit the image she had of him.Suddenly she realized she really didn’t know this man.Despite the fact she’d had the hottest sex of her life with him and had studied his business practices, she had no idea who he was at the deepest level.
As much as she wanted to find out, she was scared.She was starting to care for him, and now she was in deeper danger.She might lose her heart to him.Again she warned herself about falling for an overbearing man.
“So how about it?We could call ahead so we don’t have to wait long.”
“If it doesn’t have anchovies, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”
They agreed to meet at six o’clock, then he switched subjects back to work so fast she was baffled and scrambling to keep up.
She scrawled notes as he spoke.She needed to get out a company-wide email about Mr.Newman’s going-away party, consult with Thompson, Connor’s admin, on flight arrangements for the Dallas trip the next week and ensure that everything had been handled correctly for Seward’s dismissal the following day when he reported for duty.
Though she tried to concentrate, she was thinking about the night ahead.
“And, Ms.Lane?”
She regarded him.This morning, he wore a charcoal-colored suit, so dark it was nearly black, with a pale yellow tie.For a moment, before she derailed the thought, she entertained the idea that he might pin her face down on the desk and join her wrists at the small of her back, confining her with deft twists of that tie.“Mr.Donovan?”
“I enjoyed fucking you last night.”
Her mouth dropped open.
His cell phone rang, and he picked it up and glanced at the caller identification.“If you’ll excuse me?”
“Of course.”She stood and left, closing the door behind her.
Kelsey paused for a second, shoulders against the wall.
The juxtaposition between intimacy then being shut out when his phone rang jarred her.
This, she told herself,is a good reason not to date the boss.
It didn’t make any difference whom he talked to.He had every right to his privacy.Still…she was curious.
For the next few hours, she handled what felt like a million administrative tasks, calling Zoe McBride, working out the details for Nathan’s Dallas trip, checking in with Lawrence to be sure they were on track for Seward’s termination.
Then she sent an email to Thompson, Connor’s assistant.The man responded immediately, also asking for their arrival dates at the family’s annual meeting.
She promised to get back to him as quickly as possible then set a reminder on Nathan’s calendar.
Kelsey decided to head to Marvin’s for a much-needed coffee before facing the rest of the day.Last night, she’d slept worse than usual.Nathan had offered to stay, but she’d insisted she was fine.Truthfully, being in his arms would have helped.The wax play, the over-the-knee punishment from his belt, the sex… It had been a lot to process, no matter how strong she pretended to be.
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the message.She was a bit surprised that it was from Andi.
Erin-Fucking-Donovan called me.She’s coming in this week.I’ll buy your martini next time we get together.
